Gravois Mills man charged with child molestation, statutory sodomy

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was charged in Morgan County with several child sex crimes.

Joshua White, 19, of Gravois Mills, was charged on Wednesday with two counts of statutory sodomy of a person younger than 14 years old and two counts of third-degree child molestation. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $100,000 bond. A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday.

The probable cause statement says law enforcement learned on Tuesday about a possible inappropriate “relationship” occurring with White and a minor. White was staying with the youth’s family and the mother allegedly told law enforcement she didn’t “feel they were substantiated,” court documents say.

White and the youth both denied the allegations. Law enforcement viewed the victim’s phone, which allegedly had a “sexual” conversation between the two, the statement says. The youth ran off, but was found by law enforcement. She eventually told officers about the “relationship,” court documents say.

White denied the allegations again before admitting to them to deputies, the statement says.